Free Astronomy Magazine September-October 2024

The Penguin and the Egg as seen by Webb byNASA/ESA/CSA Claire Blome Christine Pulliam wo for two! A duo of interact- ing galaxies commemorates thesecondscienceanniver- sary of NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, which takes constant ob- servations, including images and highlydetaileddataknownasspec- tra.Itsoperationshaveledtoa“pa- rade”ofdiscoveriesbyastronomers around the world. “Since President Biden and Vice President Harris unveiled the first imagefromtheJamesWebbSpace Telescopetwoyearsago,Webbhas continued to unlock the mysteries oftheuniverse,” saidNASAAdmin- istrator Bill Nelson. “With remark- ableimagesfromthecornersofthe cosmos, going back nearly to the beginningoftime,Webb’scapabili- ties are shedding new light on our celestialsurroundingsandinspiring futuregenerationsofscientists,as- tronomers, and explorers.” “Injusttwoyears,Webbhastrans- formed our view of the universe, enabling the kind of world-class science that drove NASA to make this mission a reality,” said Mark Clampin, director of the Astro- physicsDivisionatNASAHeadquar- ters in Washington. “Webb is providinginsightsintolongstanding mysteries about the early universe and ushering in a new era of study- ing distant worlds, while returning images that inspire people around the world and posing exciting new questions to answer. It has never been more possible to explore every facet of the universe.” Thetelescope’sspecializationincap- turing infrared light — which is be- yondwhatourowneyescandetect —showsthesegalaxies,collectively known as Arp 142, locked in a slow cosmic dance. Webb’s observations, which combine near- and mid-in- frared light from Webb’s NIRCam (Near-Infrared Camera) and MIRI (Mid-Infrared Instrument), respec- tively, clearly show that they are joinedbyahazerepresentedinbluetha t is a mix of stars and gas, a re- sult of their mingling. Theirongoinginteractionwassetin motion between 25 and 75 million years ago, when the Penguin (indi- viduallycatalogedasNGC2936)and theEgg(NGC2937)completedtheir firstpass.Theywillgoontoshimmy andsway,completingseveraladdi- tional loops before merging into a single galaxy hundreds of millions of years from now. Before their first approach, the Pen- guin held the shape of a spiral. Today,itsgalacticcentergleamslike an eye, its unwound arms now shap- ing a beak, head, backbone, and fanned-out tail. Like all spiral galaxies, the Penguinisstillveryrichingasanddust.T he galaxies’“dance”gravitationally pulledonthePenguin’sthinner areasofgasanddust,causingthem to crash in waves and form stars. Look for those areas in two places: what looks like a fish in its “beak” and the “feathers” in its “tail.” Surroundingthesenewerstarsis smoke-likematerialthatincludes carbon-containingmolecules,known aspolycyclicaromatichydrocarbons, which Webb is exceptional at de- tecting.Dust,seenasfainter,deeper orangearcsalsoswoopsfromits beak to tail feathers. Incontrast,theEgg’scompactshape remains largely unchanged. As an elliptical galaxy, it is filled with aging stars, and has a lot less gas anddustthatcanbepulledawayto form new stars. If both were spiral galaxies, each would end the first “twist” with new star formation and twirling curls, known as tidal tails. AnotherreasonfortheEgg’sundis- turbed appearance: These galaxies have approximately the same mass or heft, which is why the smaller- looking elliptical wasn’t consumed or distorted by the Penguin. ItisestimatedthatthePenguinand the Egg are about 100,000 light- years apart — quite close in astro- nomical terms. For context, the Milky Way galaxy and our nearest neighbor, the Andromeda Galaxy, are about 2.5 million light-years apart.Theytoowillinteract,butnot forabout4billion years.     ﻣﺠﻠﺔ FreeAstronomy ﺎﻟﻌﺮ ﺔ 44 " و ﺐ" ﻳﺮﺻﺪ ﺎً ﻄﺮ ﻘ وﺑ ﻀﺔ - ﺳﺒﺘﻤﺒﺮ ﺃﻛﺘﻮﺑﺮ 2 0 2 4 ﻳﺤﺘﻔــﻞ ﺛﻨــﺎﺋﻲ ﻣ ـﻦ ا ﺠــﺮات ا ﺘﻔﺎﻋﻠــﺔ ﺑﺎﻟﺬﻛﺮى اﻟﻌﻠﻤﻴﺔ ا ﻟﺜﺎﻧﻴﺔ ﻟﺘﻠﺴﻜﻮب ﺟـﻴﻤﺲ وﻳﺐ اﻟﻔﻀﺎﺋﻲ اﻟﺘﺎﺑﻊ ﻟ ﻮﻛﺎﻟﺔ ﻧﺎﺳـﺎ واﻟـﺬي ﻳﺄﺧﺬ أرﺻﺎداً ﻣﺴﺘﻤﺮة ﺑﻤﺎ ﰲ ذﻟـﻚ اﻟﺼـﻮر واﻟﺒﻴﺎﻧﺎت اﻟﺘﻔﺼﻴﻠ ﻴﺔ ﻟﻠﻐﺎﻳﺔ ا ﻌﺮوﻓﺔ ﺑﺎﺳﻢ اﻷﻃﻴ ﺎف وﻗـﺪ أدت ﻋﻤﻠﻴﺎﺗـﻪ إﱃ ﻋـﺪد ﻣـﻦ اﻻﻛﺘﺸﺎﻓﺎت ﻣﻦ ﻗﺒﻞ ﻋﻠﻤﺎء اﻟﻔﻠﻚ ﰲ ﺟﻤﻴـﻊ أﻧﺤﺎء اﻟﻌﺎﻟﻢ . ﻗﺎل ﻣﺪﻳﺮ ﻧﺎﺳﺎ ﺑﻴﻞ ﻧﻴﻠﺴﻮن " : ﻣﻨﺬ أن ﻛﺸﻒ اﻟﺮﺋﻴﺲ ﺑﺎﻳﺪن وﻧﺎﺋﺒ ﺔ اﻟﺮﺋﻴﺲ ﻫﺎرﻳﺲ ﻋـﻦ اﻟﺼﻮرة اﻷوﱃ ﻣﻦ ﺗﻠﺴﻜﻮب ﺟـﻴﻤﺲ وﻳـﺐ اﻟﻔﻀﺎ ﺋﻲ ﻗﺒﻞ ﻋﺎﻣ واﺻﻞ ﺗﻠﺴﻜﻮب وﻳـﺐ ﻛﺸﻒ أﴎار اﻟﻜﻮن ﺑ ﺼﻮر راﺋﻌﺔ ﻣﻦ أرﻛﺎن اﻟﻜﻮن ﺗﻌﻮد إﱃ ﺑﺪاﻳﺔ اﻟﺰﻣﻦ ﺗﻘﺮﻳﺒـﺎً . ﺗﻠﻘـﻲ ﻗﺪرات ﺗﻠﺴـﻜﻮ وﻳـﺐ ﺿـﻮءا ﺟﺪﻳـﺪا ﻋـﲆ ﻣﺤﻴﻄﻨــﺎ اﻟﺴ ـﻤﺎوي ﻣﻤــﺎ ﻳﻠﻬ ـﻢ أﺟﻴــﺎل ا ﺴﺘﻘﺒﻞ وﻋﻠﻤﺎء اﻟﻔﻠﻚ وا ﺴﺘﻜﺸﻔ . ﻳﻘﻮل ﻣﺎرك ﻛﻼﻣﺒ ﻣﺪﻳﺮ ﻗﺴـﻢ اﻟﻔﻴﺰﻳـﺎء اﻟﻔﻠﻜﻴﺔ ﰲ ا ﻘﺮ اﻟﺮﺋﻴ ﻮﻛﺎﻟـﺔ ﴘ ﻟ ـ ﻧﺎﺳـ ﺎ ﰲ واﺷﻨﻄﻦ :» ﰲ ﻏﻀـﻮن ﻋـﺎﻣ ﻓﻘـﻂ ﻏـ ﱠ ﺗﻠﺴﻜﻮب وﻳﺐ ﻧﻈﺮﺗﻨﺎ إﱃ اﻟﻜﻮن ﻣﻤﺎ ﻣﻜّـﻦ ﻫﺬا اﻟﻨﻮع ﻣﻦ اﻟﻌﻠﻮم ذات ا ﺴﺘﻮى اﻟﻌـﺎ ﻲ اﻟﺘﻲ دﻓﻌﺖ وﻛﺎﻟﺔ ﻧﺎﺳﺎ إﱃ ﺟﻌﻞ ﻫﺬه ا ﻬﻤﺔ ﺣﻘﻴﻘﺔ واﻗﻌﺔ «. ﻳﻘﺪم " ﺗﻠﺴـﻜﻮب وﻳـﺐ رؤى ﺣـﻮل أﻟﻐـﺎز ﻗﺪﻳﻤﺔ ﺣﻮل اﻟﻜﻮن ا ﺒﻜـﺮ وﻳﺒـ ﺑﻌﻬـﺪ ﴩ ـ ﻟ ﺟﺪﻳـﺪ ﺪراﺳـﺔ اﻟﻌـﻮاﻟﻢ اﻟﺒﻌﻴـﺪة وﻳﻠـﺘﻘﻂ اﻟﺼﻮر اﻟﺘﻲ ﺗﺒﻬﺮ اﻟﻨـﺎس ﰲ ﺟﻤﻴـﻊ أﻧﺤـﺎء اﻟﻌﺎﻟﻢ ــــ : ﻘﻠﻢ ﺑﻮﻟ ﺎم ﻠ ﻠﻮم وﻛﺮﺴﺘ و ﺎﻟﺔ ﻧﺎﺳﺎ / و ﺎﻟﺔ اﻟﻔﻀﺎء اﻷوروﺑ ﺔ و ﺎﻟﺔ اﻟﻔﻀﺎء اﻟﻜﻨﺪ ﺔ اﻟﻌﺎﻟﻢ ﻄﺮح ﻳو أﺳﺌﻠﺔ ﺟﺪﻳﺪة ﻣﺜ ة ﻟﻺﺟﺎﺑﺔ ﻋﻠﻴﻬﺎ ﻟﻢ ﻳﻜﻦ ﻣﻦ ا ﻤﻜﻦ أﺑﺪ اً اﺳﺘﻜﺸﺎف ﻛﻞ ﺟﺎﻧﺐ ﻣﻦ ﺟﻮاﻧﺐ اﻟﻜﻮن . إن ﺗﺨﺼﺺ ﺗﻠﺴﻜﻮب وﻳﺐ ﰲ اﻟﺘﻘﺎط ﺿﻮء اﻷﺷﻌﺔ ﺗﺤﺖ اﻟﺤﻤـﺮاء اﻟـﺬي ﻳﺘﺠـﺎوز ﻣـﺎ ﻳﻤﻜﻦ أن ﺗﻜﺘﺸﻔﻪ أﻋﻴﻨﻨـﺎ ﻳُﻈﻬـﺮ أن ﻫـﺬه ا ﺠﺮات ا ﻌﺮوﻓﺔ ﺑﺎﺳﻢ (Arp 142) ﺗﺨﻮض رﻗﺼﺔ ﻛﻮﻧﻴﺔ ﺑﻄﻴﺌﺔ . إن أرﺻﺎد ﺗﻠﺴﻜﻮب وﻳﺐ اﻟﺘﻲ ﺗﺠﻤـﻊ ﺑـ ﺿــﻮء اﻷﺷــﻌﺔ ﺗﺤ ـﺖ اﻟﺤﻤ ـﺮاء اﻟﻘﺮﻳﺒ ـﺔ وا ﺘﻮﺳﻄﺔ ﻣـﻦ ﻛـﺎﻣ ا ﻧ ﻛـﺎم ) ﻛـﺎﻣ ا اﻷﺷﻌﺔ ﺗﺤﺖ اﻟﺤﻤـﺮا ء اﻟﻘﺮﻳﺒـﺔ و( ﻣـ ي أد) اة اﻷﺷﻌﺔ ﺗﺤﺖ اﻟﺤﻤﺮاء ا ﺘﻮﺳﻄﺔ ﻋـﲆ ( اﻟﺘـﻮاﱄ ﺗ ﻈﻬــﺮ ﺑﻮﺿـﻮح أﻧﻬﻤـﺎ ﻣﺮﺗﺒﻄـﺎن ﺑﺎﻟﻀﺒﺎب ﻣﻤﺜﻼ ﺑﺎﻟﻠﻮن اﻷزرق وﻫﻮ ﻣـﺰﻳﺞ ﻣﻦ اﻟﻨﺠﻮم وا ﻟﻐﺎز ﻧﺘﻴﺠﺔ اﺧﺘﻼﻃﻬ .ﺎ ﺑﺪأ ﺗﻔﺎﻋﻠﻬ ﺎ ا ﺴﺘﻤﺮ ﻣﻨﺬ ﻣﺎ ﺑـ 25 إﱃ 75 ﻣﻠﻴﻮن ﺳﻨﺔ ﻋﻨﺪﻣﺎ أﻛﻤﻞ اﻟﺒﻄﺮﻳﻖ ) ا ﺼﻨﻒ ﺑﺸﻜﻞ ﻓﺮدي ﺑﺎﺳﻢ NGC2936 ( واﻟﺒﻴﻀـﺔ ) NGC2937 ( ﻣﺮورﻫﻤﺎ اﻷول ﺳﻮف ﺗﻬﺘـﺰ وﺗﺘﺄرﺟﺢ ﻣﻜﻤﻠﺔ ﻋﺪة ﺣﻠﻘﺎت إﺿﺎﻓﻴﺔ ﻗﺒـﻞ أن ﺗﻨﺪﻣﺞ ﰲ ﻣﺠﺮة واﺣﺪة ﺑﻌﺪ ﻣﺌﺎت ا ﻼﻳ ﻣﻦ اﻟﺴﻨ ﻣﻦ اﻵن . ﻗﺒﻞ اﻗﱰاﺑﻪ اﻷول ﻛﺎن اﻟﺒﻄ ﺮﻳﻖ ﻳﺘﺨﺬ ﺷﻜﻼ ﺣﻠﺰوﻧﻴﺎ واﻟﻴﻮم ﻳﻠﻤﻊ ﻣﺮﻛﺰه ا ﺠـﺮي ﻣﺜـﻞ اﻟﻌ وﺗﺸ ﻜﻞ أذرﻋﻪ ﻏ ا ﻠﺘﻔﺔ اﻵن ﻣﻨﻘﺎرا ورأﺳﺎً وﻋﻤﻮداً ﻓﻘﺮﻳﺎً وذﻳﻼً .ﺎً ﻣﺮوﺣﻴـ ﻣﺜـﻞ ﻛﻞ ا ﺠﺮات اﻟﺤﻠﺰوﻧﻴﺔ ﻻ ﻳﺰال اﻟﺒﻄﺮﻳﻖ ﻏﻨﻴﺎً اً ﺟﺪ ﺑﺎﻟﻐﺎز واﻟﻐﺒﺎر . إن ﺟﺎذﺑﻴــﺔ ا ﺠــﺮات ا ﺘﻔﺎﻋﻠ ـﺔ ﺗﻤــﺎرس اﻟﺴ ﺤﺐ ﻋﲆ ا ﻨـﺎﻃﻖ اﻟﺮﻗ ﻴﻘـﺔ ﻣـﻦ اﻟﻐـﺎز واﻟﻐﺒﺎر ﰲ اﻟﺒﻄﺮﻳﻖ ﻣﻤﺎ ﻳﺆدي إﱃ اﺻﻄﺪاﻣﻬﺎ وﺗﺸﻜﻴﻞ اﻟﻨﺠﻮم . اﺑﺤﺚ ﻋﻦ ﺗﻠﻚ ا ﻨـﺎﻃﻖ ﰲ ﺎﻧﻣﻜ : ﻣﺎ ﻳﺸـﺒﻪ اﻟﺴـﻤﻜﺔ ﰲ " " ﻣﻨﻘـﺎره اﻟﺮﻳﺶ"و ". ذﻳﻠﻪ "ﰲ " ﺗﺤﻴﻂ ﺑﻬﺬه اﻟﻨﺠـﻮم اﻷﺣ ـﺪث ﻣ ـﺎدة ﺗﺸـﺒﻪ اﻟ ـﺪﺧﺎن ﺗﺘﻀ ـﻤﻦ اﻟﺮﻳﺶ"و ". ذﻳﻠﻪ "ﰲ " ﺗﺤﻴﻂ ﺑﻬﺬه اﻟﻨﺠـﻮم اﻷﺣ ـﺪث ﻣ ـﺎدة ﺗﺸـﺒﻪ اﻟ ـﺪﺧﺎن ﺗﺘﻀ ـﻤﻦ ﺟﺰﻳﺌﺎت ﺗﺤﺘﻮي ﻋﲆ اﻟﻜﺮﺑﻮن ﺗُﻌﺮف ﺑﺎﺳـﻢ اﻟﻬﻴﺪروﻛﺮﺑﻮﻧ ﺎت ﻣﺘﻌﺪدة اﻟﺤﻠﻘﺎت اﻟﻌﻄﺮﻳﺔ واﻟﺘ ـﻲ ﻳﻌﺘ ـﱪ ﺗﻠﺴــﻜﻮب ﺟ ـﻴﻤﺲ وﻳــﺐ اﺳﺘﺜﻨﺎﺋﻴ ﺎً ﰲ اﻛﺘﺸﺎﻓﻬﺎ . أﻣﺎ اﻟﻐﺒـﺎر ﻓﻬـﻮ ﻳﺸـﺎﻫﺪ ﻛـ ﺄﻗﻮاس ﺑﻠـﻮن ﺑﺮﺗﻘﺎﱄ و ﻋﻤﻴﻖ أﻛﺜﺮ ﺧﻔﻮﺗﺎً أﻳﻀ ﻈﻬﺮ ﻳ ﺎً ﻣﻦ ﻣﻨﻘﺎره إﱃ رﻳﺶ اﻟﺬﻳﻞ . وﻋﲆ اﻟﻨﻘﻴﺾ ﻣﻦ ذﻟﻚ ﻳﻈﻞ ﺷﻜﻞ اﻟﺒﻴﻀـﺔ دون ﺗﻐﻴ ﻣﺮﺻﻮد إﱃ ﺣﺪ ﻛﺒ وﺑﺎﻋﺘﺒﺎرﻫﺎ ﻣﺠـﺮة إﻫﻠﻴ ﻠﺠﻴـﺔ ﻓﻬـﻲ ﻣﻠﻴﺌـﺔ ﺑـﺎﻟﻨﺠﻮم اﻟﻘﺪﻳﻤﺔ وﻟﺪﻳﻬﺎ ﻛﻤﻴﺔ أﻗﻞ ﺑﻜﺜ ﻣـﻦ اﻟ ﻐـﺎز واﻟﻐﺒﺎر اﻟﺬي ﻳﻤﻜﻦ ﺳﺤﺒﻪ ﺑﻌﻴـﺪ اً ﻟﺘﻜـﻮﻳﻦ ﻧﺠﻮم ﺟﺪﻳﺪة . إذا ﻛﺎﻧـﺖ ﻛﻠﺘــﺎ ا ﺠـﺮﺗ ﻫﻤ ـﺎ ﻣﺠﺮﺗــﺎن ﺎن ﺣﻠﺰوﻧﻴﺘــ ﻓــﺈن ﻛــﻞ ﻣﻨﻬﻤــﺎ ﺳــﻴﻨﻬﻲ " اﻻﻟﺘــﻮاء " اﻷول ﺑﺘﻜ ـﻮﻳﻦ ﻧﺠ ـﻮم ة ﺟﺪﻳ ـﺪ وﺗﺠﻌﺪات داﺋﺮﻳﺔ ﺗُﻌﺮف ﻋﻠﻤﻴﺎً ﺑﺎﺳﻢ ذﻳـﻮل ا ﺪ واﻟﺠﺰر . ﺳﺒﺐ آﺧﺮ ﻈﻬﺮ اﻟﺒﻴﻀﺔ ﻏـ ا ﻀـﻄﺮب : ﻫﻮ أن ﻫﺬه ا ﺠﺮات ﻟﻬـﺎ ﻧﻔـﺲ اﻟﻜﺘﻠـﺔ أو اﻟﺜﻘﻞ ﺗﻘﺮﻳﺒﺎ وﻟﻬـﺬا اﻟﺴـﺒﺐ ﻟـﻢ ﻳﺴـﺘﻬﻠﻚ اﻟﺒ ﻄﺮﻳﻖ اﻟﺸﻜﻞ اﻹﻫﻠﻴﻠﺠﻲ اﻷﺻﻐﺮ ﺣﺠﻤـ ﺎً أو ﻳﺸﻮﻫﻪ . ﺗﺸ اﻟﺘﻘﺪﻳﺮات اﻟﻌﻠﻤﻴﺔ إﱃ أن ا ﺴ ﺎﻓﺔ ﺑ اﻟﺒﻄﺮﻳﻖ واﻟﺒﻴﻀﺔ ﺗﺒﻠﻎ ﺣﻮاﱄ 100 أﻟﻒﺳﻨﺔ ﺿﻮﺋﻴﺔ وﻫﻮ ﻣـﺎ ﻳﻌـﺪ ﻗﺮﻳﺒـ ﺎً ﺟـﺪاً ﺣﺴـﺐ ا ﻘﺎﻳﻴﺲ اﻟﻔﻠ . ﻜﻴﺔ ﻟﻠﺘﻮﺿﻴﺢ ﻓﺈن ﻣﺠﺮة درب اﻟﺘﺒﺎﻧـﺔ وأﻗـﺮب ﺟ اﻧﻨﺎ ﻣﺠﺮة ا ﺮأة ا ﺴﻠﺴﻠﺔ " اﻧﺪروﻣﻴـﺪا " ﺗﺒﻌﺪان ﻋﻦ ﺑﻌﻀﻬﻤﺎ ﺣﻮاﱄ 2.5 ﻣﻠﻴﻮن ﺳﻨﺔ ﺿﻮﺋﻴﺔ وﺳﻮف ﺗﺘﻔﺎﻋﻼن أﻳﻀًﺎ وﻟﻜﻦ ﻟـﻴﺲ ﻗﺒﻞ 4 ﻣﻠﻴﺎرات ﺳﻨﺔ ﺗﻘﺮﻳﺒ .ﺎً